ViaSat to supply broadband services to military aircraft

ViaSat has won a multimillion dollar contract from the U.S. government to supply broadband satellite services to support military aircraft in flight, the company announced Oct. 24.

The all-IP service plan is designed to enable access to NIPR, SIPR, and commercial Internet, as well as voice-over-IP and videoteleconferencing sessions during transcontinental or transoceanic flights, the company said.

Aircraft and ground terminals providing the broadband satellite services will use ViaSat's ArcLight technology. Among the military aircraft slated to use the technology are MC-12s, C-37s, C-130s and C-17s, the company said.

The one-year agreement is renewable for multiple years and includes options to add other aircraft, additional missions and supplemental services, the company said.